Trolley duct collector system



Dec. 23, 1941. c. c. MARTIN 2,267,207

TROLLEY DUCT COLLECTOR SYSTEM Filed March 2s.A 1939 llkk) Q5 WE/Vpn" L CHARMS @MART/N 'Charles C.

Mll'tlll. signor to David Bonn Ohio, a ilrmj cleveland nenne., ohio. a a son, canela magna,

Application March 29. 1939, Serial N0. 264.790

6 Claims. (Cl. 191-23) Another object of the invention is to provide v stationary and movable current conducting units protected from danger of accidental contact and having high capacity and eiiiciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trolley duct collector system which is constructed of a minimum number of parts, and which is economical to manufacture and install, and which is especially adapted for easy inspection and low cost of maintenance.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but several of various forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal side elevation of a trackway and carriage embodying the principles of the invention, parts being broken away to illustrate details thereof;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 as seen along the line 2 2, Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the collector arms as seen along the line 3 3,

shown in Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 as seen along the line 4 4, shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a.

crane hoist provided with a plurality of trolley ducts for supplying current thereto and controlling the position thereof.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the colleclili tor duct system comprises a supporting plate I, providing an overhead or ceiling support and having at spaced intervals standards in the form of sleeves 2 bearing against a trackway plate l and held in rigid -relation thereto by means of a bolt I with itsy head 5 engaged in a recess formed in an insulating block 1, such block bearing against the under face of the trackway plate 3.

The block 'I also serves as a means of support for a conductor tube 8 held in firm position beneath the same by means of a pair of channel clamping elements 9, I0, drawn toward each other by means of a clamping bolt Il, preferably extending through an aperture in said block. The supporting plate I is preferably provided at intervals with angle bracket members 12 preferably secured by welding to the'under side of said supporting plate, and supporting at their lower ends elongated angle plates I3, upon the inwardly turned anges of whichare mounted at intervals insulating blocks I4, upon the upper edges of whichv are supported'conductor tubes I5, I6, respectively, such tubes being held iirmlyin position by means of channel clamping elements i1, I8, similar in construction to the clamping elements 9, I0, heretofore described and held in position by means of bolts I9. l

It will be noted from the construction above described that a central trackway for the wheels of a trolley is lprovided by the plate 3 heretofore mentioned, beneath which one conductor tube 8 is supported and that a partially enclosed conduit or duct construction is formed by means of the angle bracket I2 and the angle plates I3, the

angle plates also serving to carry additional conductor tubes I5, I6, in spaced relation at either side of the central conductor tube 8 and slightly above the same, and clamped upon insulator blocks in similar manner.

The collector trolley 2| illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a pair of side plates 22, 23, held in spacedrelation by means of a pair of spacing blocks 24. 25, and a spacing sleeve 26 through all of which suitable securing bolts 21 are engaged. At an intermediate point between the spacing sleeve 26 and the inner spacing'block 24 an insulated collector arm spring supporting block 28 is provided, said block being secured at its ends by bolts 29 extending through inwardly projecting supporting plates 30. 3l, spaced from each cziher3 and securedto the respective side plates 2 The trolley harp or collector arm 32 is preferably formed of brass, or some suitable conducting metal, and comprises a forked contact arm structheir central upper edges.

ture apertured near its free end to receive the axle 33 upon which the contact roller or wheel 34 is rotatably supported. At the opposite end of the forked contact arm structure it is pivotally supported upon an insulating sleeve 35 engaged over an axle 36 supported in aligned apertures in the side plates 22, 23, of the trolley structure. Insulating washers 31, 38, serve to hold the forked contact arm in a substantially central position between the side plates of the trolley carriage. At an intermediate position the forked contact arm is provided with a spring centering abutment in the form of a T-shaped element 4I held in position by a bolt 42. The depending portion of the T-shaped element engages within a coiled spring 43, the lower end of said spring being received within a recess 44 provided centrally of the insulating block 28, heretofore described. At the pivoted end of the forked contact arm suitable contact lugs 45 are provided, against which the terminal elements 46 of conducting cables 41 may be secured by screws 48, or other suitable connecting means. The structure just described comprises the central lower conductor assembly which bears against the lower conductor tube 8. The trolley carriage at each of its respective upper inner corners is provided with iianged track wheels running on ball bearings 52 supported on stub axles 53.

The contact arms for the two outermost conductor tubes I5, I6, are substantially identical in construction, the right-hand arm 54 being complementary to the left-hand arm 55. 'I'he pivoted contact arms are supported upon suitable insulating sleeves 56 on stub axles 51, and have insulating washers 58, 59. At their free ends contacting arms carry contact wheels 6| supported on stub shafts 62, and at an intermediate point on their inner faces have secured thereto by suitable fastening elements, such as screws 63, insulating blocks 64, such blocks having recesses 65 in their upper faces, within which coil springs 66 are engaged, such coil springs bearing at their free ends against projecting plates 61 secured to the side plates of the trolley carriage adjacent The contact arms have projecting lugs 68, against which terminals 69 on the conducting cables 1| are adapted to be secured by means of screws 12, or other fastening elements.

When assembled with an overhead hoist the trolley duct system may assume the form shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 wherein the crane 8| has a transverse I-beam 82, upon which the hoist trolley 83 travels, such trolley having the hoistbe used as the current supply line extending to the controller within the casing 85, and being distributed thence to the hoist motor and selectively to the crane motor,` the crane control passing through the three-phase collector duct 92 on the opposite side of the trackway. In order to keep conductor trolley carriages 93, 94, in the respective trackways at a point closely adjacent the hoist mechanisma lateral arm 95 is carried by the trolley 83, and is connected by means of short chain lengths 96, 91, with the respective conductor trolleys 93, 94.

If desired, a motor for traversing the hoist trolley along the transverse I-beam may be provided and included in the controls above described. It will be noted that both the crane construction and the trolley duct system are formed of a minimum number of parts, and that the mechanism is at all times readily accessible in that it provides for large open spaces through which access may be had to the conductor tubes and the supporting structure. At the same time the maximum of safety for the crane conducting elements is provided since such conducting elements are held in a protected position within the duct structure and accidental contact with adjacent objects is prevented by the insulated structuigal elements outwardly of the large conductor tu es.

While the electrical system illustrated is for three-phase alternating current it is by no means intended to restrict the invention to any particular type of generation and transmission of current as the equipment may be designed for use with any of various types of current, including direct current, as well as single phase, two phase and three phase alternating current. For direct current and single phase alternating current one of the three conductor tubes illustrated may be dispensed with, preferably the one beneath the central trackway. For two phase alternating current fcur conductors are required, and two of these may be placed below the central trackway, and two inner collector arms similar to the outer collector arms 54, 55, may be used in place of the single central collector arm 32. Appropriate changes in the equipment, such as motors and controllers, will be required in harmony with the type of current available at the point of installation.

The tubular current conductors, it will be noted, have high transmission capacity, and at the same time are suiiiciently rigid to be free of sagging or stretching in use. 'I'he method of mounting the conductors produces a rm grip upon the same., but permits easy inspection and replacement, if required.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a stationary current conducting structure providing a central trackway and a central conductor element beneath the same, lateral supports providing a skeletonized guard rail structure in spaced relation around said trackway, conductor elements each removably clamped to separate insulating blocks, supported within said enclosed area, a movable current collector unit engaged upon said trackway and extending around the same, and the central conductor element, on its under side, and contact means supported on said collector unit for resilient engagement with said respective conductors.

2. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a stationary current conducting structure providing a central trackway and a central conductor element beneath the same, lateral supports providing a skeletonized guard rail structure in spaced relation around said trackway and carrying conductor elements in lateral spaced relation at each side of said track- Way, a movable current collector unit engaged upon said trackway and extending around the same, and the central conductor element, on its under side, and contact means supported on said collector unit for resilient engagement with said respective conductors.

3. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a stationary current conducting structure providing a central trackway, a central conductor element beneath the same, lateral supports around said trackway and carrying additional conductor elements in spaced relation thereto, a movable current collector unit engaged upon said trackway and extending around the same, and the central conductor element, on its underside, and contact means supported by and at the sides of said collector unit for resilient engagement with said respective conductors. r

4. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination an elongated supporting member of plate-like form, bracket members secured thereto at spaced intervals, inwardly extending angle plates supported by said bracket members, conductor elements supported on said inwardly turned angle plates in insulated relation thereto. a trackway supported centrally of said supporting structure, a conductor element supported by said trackway in insulated relation immediately beneath the same, a current collector carriage movably supported on said trackway and having depending side plates extending below said trackway, a current collector member secured intermediate said side plates beneath said central conductor for resilient contact therewith, collector members secured to the side plates in the horizontal plane of said trackway for engagement with the lateral conductor elements, and conducting cables for carrying current from each of said conducting elements.

5. A three-phase current conducting system for apparatus having a predetermined range of movement which comprises a central supporting member, a central trackway beneath said supporting member and a conductor element supported by said trackway in insulated relation beneath the same, an insulated conductor element at either side of said trackway secured to inwardly turned angle plates, brackets connecting said plates with said main support at intervals, a current collecting carriage mounted on said trackway, resiliently supported collector arms mounted at either side of said carriage and within the central lower portion of the same for contact with said respective conductor elements.

6. A trolley duct collector system comprising an elongated base member, a plurality of supports depending from said base member and holding a trackway in spaced relation thereto, and also holding at least one insulated conductor member beneath sadtrackway, a. plurality of bracket members secured at spaced intervals to said base member, elongated inwardly projecting supporting members secured to the lower ends of said brackets and conductor members supported in insulated relation against lateral contact upon said inwardly projecting members.

lCHARLES C. MARTIN. 

